Investigation of violence against women in Turkey during COVID-19 from the perspective of ecological approach

Theories and approaches help people who are experts in the field to analyze cases well, to implement appropriate intervention methods and practices in cases. One of these approaches is the Ecological Approach, which has an important place in the field of Social Work. The study first started with the basics of the ecological approach and its explanation. The Covid-19 process, which has affected the entire world in recent years, and its effects on women from vulnerable/sensitive groups, were subsequently discussed. One of the most important impact issues of Covid-19, which has multidimensional and profound effects on women, is violence. Violence against women constitutes one of the most fundamental problems of today. In Turkey, where the rates of violence against women are increasing every year, the COVID-19 period has accelerated the problem. The scale of the problem, which is reflected in the media, the reports of civil society organizations and ministerial data, is brutal. The study focuses on the period of Covid-19 in Turkey, examining violence against women and how women are affected by violence. In addition, it was aimed to make a unique contribution to the literature in the study, which examined the telephone lines of metropolitan municipalities, especially during the pandemic period. In addition to reviewing current literature, the study enriched the data set with reports, research and opinions from non-governmental organizations active in the prevention of violence against women. In this context, interviews were held with 10 civil society organizations active in the fight against violence against women across Turkey. In the interviews, data was collected using semi-structured interview questions. The information obtained from the interviews was examined with the focus on the impact of an important environmental impact such as Covid-19 on women by acting from the principle of the individual within the environment of the ecological approach. Following a comprehensive study of violence against women in Turkey during the Covid-19 period, evaluations were conducted from the perspective of an ecological approach in micro, mezzo and macro dimensions, based on discussions with the civil society organizations. In unusual cases such as Covid-19, civil society organizations have been found to play an important role in helping women reach protective and preventive mechanisms and in reducing adverse environmental factors.